In celebration of Latin@ Heritage Month, the University of Oregon Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies (CLLAS) and the UO Division of Equity and Inclusion bring together new Eugene School District 4J superintendent Dr. Gustavo Balderas and scholar Dr. Patricia Gándara, co-director of the Civil Rights Project of UCLA, for an informative session on public school education K-12 for Latina/os in Oregon. Dr. Gándara is the Visiting Distinguished Scholar at UO Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics and the College of Education during fall term 2015.

Meeting at the Ford Alumni Center, 1720 E. 13th Ave. on the UO campus on Thursday, October 15, from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., this session offers an opportunity for the K-12 education community, the community at large, and the university community to talk about the state of education for Oregon Latina/os. The gathering will feature talks by the two principal speakers, followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience.

The event also will showcase examples of UO faculty research addressing Latina/os and K-12 education, with brief presentations to be made by College of Education faculty members Audrey Lucero, Assistant Professor, Education Studies; Charles Martinez, Department Head and Professor, Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership; Ellen McWhirter, Ann Swindells Professor in Counseling Psychology; Edward Olivos, Professor, Education Studies, and Ilana Umansky, Assistant Professor, Educational Methodology, Policy, and Leadership. Roundtable discussions will give participants an opportunity for network building, back-and-forth sharing of information regarding education research and practice on campus and in the community, and a chance to explore opportunities to move forward. CLLAS co-director Gerardo Sandoval, assistant professor in the UO Department of Planning, Public Policy, and Management, will emcee the event.

A reception in celebration of Latin@ Heritage Month to follow. Hors d’oeuvres provided.

Cosponsors include the UO College of Education; Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics; UO Libraries; Department of Counseling Psychology & Human Services; Department of Romance Languages; Latin American Studies Program; Office of Academic Affairs; College of Arts & Sciences Humanities Division; College of Arts & Sciences Social Sciences Division; Centro Latinoamericano; and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) of Lane County. SELCO is the community sponsor of this event.

Access the above link for giving to the Center for Latino/a and Latin American Studies Gift Fund. Online gifts may be made using the form available at this link; all gifts are processed by the University of Oregon Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization responsible for receiving and administering private donations to the University of Oregon.